Potato-picking sjachiwe



March 25, 1924.` 1,487,821

L. STOLTENBERG PoTATo PIC'KNG MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m 4 9m )im M ATTORNEY.

March 25, H924;

L. STOLTENBERG POTATO PICKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WMM 7?. MM'

ATTORNEY.

March '25, 1924. 1,487,821

L. STOLTENBERG y POTATO PICKING MACHINE Filed Jan- 9. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 www? wm M ATTQRNEY.

March 25, 1924; 1,487,821

L.. STOLTENB-ERG POTATO PICKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 9. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 @GEW M ATTORNEY.

letented Mar. 25, i924.

LOUIS STOLTENBERG, OF NALCOT OWA.

Potrero-ricains insomma Application filed January S, 1922-. Serial No. 527,$03.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it lrnown that l, Louis SroLrnNnnne, a citizen oi the United States, residing at 'Walcota in the county ci Scott and State oi llowa, have invented certain new and use tui improvements in lactate-Picking Machines, ci which the following is a speciiication.

My invention has reference to potato picking machines, and has for its purpose to pick up a quantity of potatoes as they have been plowed or dug from the row, and deliver them into a wagon or truck. This is accompiished by means of pickers and carriers, which separate the potatoes troni the soil and bear them upwardly to a point where they are delivered to the wagon. This is done While the machine and wagon are in movement, and for convenience in operation the machine is attached immediately behind the wagon, and propelled thereby.

ln some cases, where a considerable acreage of potatoes has been planted, the open ation cfpiclzing up the potatoes consumes considerable time and labor, and the potatoes are more or less injured and destroyed in the handling. By the use of the present device a great quantity ot the tubers can be picked up, ready for transportation, very speedily and expeditiously, and without injur thereto.

he operation` of the machine tends to thoroughly clean the dirt from the potatoes, and special means are provided for clearing away the vines and rubbish, so that they will not interfere with the work of picking up the potatoes.

lin the drawings:

Fig. l shows the machine in side elevation, :trom one side thereof.

Fig. 2 is a similar View, from the opposite side or" the machine.

Fig. B is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. l is a rear view oi the rubbish elevating' devices.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the broken line 5-5 of Fig. d.

Fig. 6 shows one of the fingers perspective.

Fig. 7 is an edge View thereof.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of one of the carriers 22.

Fig. 9 is a front View thereof.

Fig. l0 is a detail of the dumping mechanism for the carriers 22.

The numeral l. indicates the frame of the machine, in one end of which is rotatably mounted an axle 2, on the ends of which are carrying-wheels 3. Pivoted in the other end of the traine, as at a, is a yoke 4, in which is rotatably mounted a pair of additional carrying wheels 5, which respond readily to the action oi the forward part of the machine, and aid in a turning thereof in either direction. At the forward end of 'the machine there is fixed to the fra-me l a pair oi: posts 6, supported by braces 7, eX- tending to the rear end of the frame. Frame pieces 8 are pivoted on the inside of said posts, as at o, a series of openings 9 being provided in each of the posts to allow for vertical adjustment oi said trames.

Centrally oi" its rear end the frame 8 has attached thereto an angle plate l0, perforated to permit the tree passage of a rod ll, the upper end or" which is connected with the short end ci a hand-lever l2, ulcrumcd a toothed segment 13, and provided with an operators rod 14C to hold said lever in adjusted positions. By action of the handdever the rear end of the trame 8 can be raised or lowered, as desired, and held in the new position. In the upper end of the frame 8 is a` shaft 16, upon which is rotan ably mounted a pair of sprocket wheels 17, connected by a sprocket-chain 18, with sprocket-wheels i9 on a shaft 2G in the lower end of the frame. The chains i8 are united at regular intervals by anglebars 2l, to which are rigidly secured series of' receptacles 22, preferably formed oi wire, as shown each ci said receptacles being 'formed with an outwardly projecting loop or finger 22a. At the ends oi' the bars are fingers 23, also formed oi wire. The pockets 22 serve to pick up the potatoes in the manner hereinafter described, each of such pockets being capable ci holding one potato or" average size. The fingers 23 act as guards, and direct any straggling potatoes at the sides of 'the row toward the center, to be there picked up. The loops 22'C1 operate to root into the ground, loosening the potatoes, and working them upwardly into the pockets. The work will be more ed'ectively done ii the pockets on adjacent bars be arranged in alternating positions.

Movement is imparted to the chains 18 by inea-ns of sprocket-wheels 25, on a shaft 26, supported in bearings 27 iXed to the posts 6, said sprocket-wheels bearing against the lower iaces of said chains. The shaft 26 is rotated by means oit a sprocket-wheel 28, connected by a chain 29 with a sprocketwheel 30 on the axle 2. When the machine is in movement rotation is imparted to the shaft 26 from the axle 2, in a direction to drive the chains 18 upwardly along the un der side of the frame 8.

To the sides of the frame 8 are secured triangular frames 31, in which are rotatably supported small sprocket wheels 32 and 33, the chains 18 passing over the wheels 32 and under the wheels 33. This operates to upset the pockets 22, so that the contents thereof will be dischargeddownwardly. It is intended to connect the machine with the rear end ot a wagon, as above mentioned, by which arrangement the potatoes would all 'from the carriers into the rear end of the wagon bon., from whence they could be shoveled or otherwise moved to the iront end thereof, until the front part ol the box had been filled.

On the under side oi the frame 8 are bearings 34, on which are rotatably supported idler sprocket-wheels 35, which bear against the upper sides oit' the chains 18, and insure their engagement with the wheels 25. At the upper ends of the posts 6 the chains 18 pass over sprocket-wheels 35, rotatably mounted on the inner faces ol said posts. Near the lower ends of the side pieces of the frame 8 are ulcrumed hand-levers 36, fitted with operators rods 37, 'for engagement with the teeth of segments 38, lined on the inside of the frame. On the lower ends of the levers 36 are rotatably mounted sprocket-wheels 39, which have a bearing on the upper sides of the chains 18. When the wheels 39 are properly adjusted their lower edges will be in line with the lower parts oi the wheels 19, and the chains 18 will be lcaused to travel a little distance on a line parallel with the ground. During this part oi? their progress the pockets 22 will be passing thru the loose earth containing the potatoes, and becoming lilled therewith.

Depending trom the forward part oit the main frame 1 is a pair of bearings llO, in which is rotatable a shaft 41, carrying a drum 42. Mounted on the frame is a pair of supports 1.3, in which is rotatable a shaift 411, carrying a similar drum 115. Passing around the drums l2 and l5 is a series ot belts 46, each carrying a plurality of small shovels 47, and the lower drum is litted between said belts with radial spikes 48. Movement is imparted to the shalt Lid by means ot a sprocket-chain a9, connecting a sprocket-wheel on the end of the shaft 26 with a similar wheel 51 on a shaft 52 rotatably mounted in the trame l, and passing over a sprocket wheel 53 on the end of the shaft all. The chain 4:9 is held in engagement with the wheel 53 by means ci a roller 515.- rctatably mounted above such,

wheel, said chain also passing over an idler wheel 55 mounted above the frame 1. In the forward movement et the machine the drums 4t2 and l5 are rotated, giving movement to the belts 46, causing the shovels on said belts, with the assistance of the spikes t8, to pick up any vines or other refuse in the path oit the machine. Such refuse is then borne upwardly by the shovels, over the top ot' the drum 45, where it is dropped upon an endless apron 57, supported transversely of the machine on a pair of drums 58, (only one of which is shown) on shafts 59 rotatably mounted at the sides er the 'fr-ame. @n the rear end of one ot said shafts is a bevel gear-wheel 60, in mesh with a similar wheel 61 on the end of the shalt 52. l/Vhen the machine is being operated movement is imparted from the shat 52 to the shaft 59, turning the drum thereon, and causing the apron 57 to have a continuous movement toward one side of the machine. The rubbish. which fallsv upon such apron is thus carried toward that side of the machine and discharged. The path is thus lrept clear, so that the vines and rubbish will not become entangled with the poclrets 22.

The operation ot the various parts of the machine has already been gone into so fully that it is not deemed necessary togive a. recapitulation thereof. "When it is desired to transport the machine from one point to another, the lower end of the frame 8 is raised by means of the lever 12, so as to clear any obstructions on the surface of the ground. `When in action the springs 15 allord a yielding movement to said lower end of the :trame 8, so that it will readily accommodate itself lto inequalities of the earth.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. device oi the class described, comprisinf a portable frame; elevating devices operatively mounted therein; a plurality of independent wire pockets rigidly attached to said elevating devices; wire fingers fixed to the edges ofi said elevating devices; and means for upsetting said pockets at a given point in the upward movement of said elevating devices.

2. A device or the class described, comprising a portable frame; an auxiliary trame swingingly supported therein in an inclined position; means for a yieldable support of the lower end of said auxiliary frame; elevating devices operatively mounted on said auxiliary frame; means for compelling the movement of said elevating devices or a short distance parallel with the earth near the lower end of said -frame; independent carrying devices rigidly secured to said elevating devices; and means for upsetting seid carrying devices at a Wardly projected loop adapted to loosen and given point in the movement of said elevatelevate the potatoes into said pockets; and 10 1 devices. means for upsetting said carriers at a iven n. A device of the class described, compoint in the upward movement of sai elel prising a portable fra-me; elevating devices vating devices.

operatively mounted therein; a plurality of In testimony whereof I ex my signature. Wire pockets rigidly attached to said elevating devices, each provided with an out- LOUIS STOLTENBERG. 

